After a few days in Wasdale Head I drove to Butteremere, my favourite place, and was planning to get a few more fells under my belt, done 45 so far so was hoping to hit the 50th.
My first days walk was around Loweswater. I parked up near the lake and started heading for Burnback Fell. The initial walk took me through Holme Wood which had a very nice waterfall, Holme Force.
Out of the woods and gaining height i came across the Terrace Path, a delightful track offering some great views heading back to Crammock Water and Grasmoor and at this stage the wind started to pick up.
The climb up from then onward was hard work having the wind directly in my face. Once I got to the summit of Burnbank Fell, I noticed a man was walking diagonally across the fells in a zig zag fashion and seemed to have something tied round his waist and was dragging it through the grass. He never got close enough to chat with but I think he was dragging some kind of scented material behind him which I presume was something for the dogs to track, instead of fox hunting?
Burnbank Fell Summit looking west towards the coast. From here I turned left and followed the path to Blake Fell and then onto Gavel Fell, both fairly uninteresting summits and with the wind still blowing hard but this time sideways, I didn't hang around. But thankfully Blake Fell does offer a low shelter where a sandwich stop out of the wind was bliss.
Low shelter on Blake fell looking towards Grasmoor. At least the visibility was OK, shame about the wind and nearly got blown over when I carried onto Gavel Fell
Gavel Fell summit looking over Hen Combe (tomorrows walk) and Mellbreak with all the fells around Buttermere in the background. if the weather had been better I may have been tempted to do Hen Combe on the same walk but I just wanted to get out of wind and get back to my tent. Apart from the wind, it was a great walk, not climbing much height with Blake Fell only 1878ft but was still hard work but worth it.
So Hen Combe was the next days walk and decided to walk from the campsite in Buttermere, along Crammock Water. I had read Wainwright's warning about crossing Mosedale Beck and thought, how bad can it be. It had been raining for the last few days so when I got to the crossing, only one thing for it, boots and socks off and went across. Lake land water is not the warmest in March so I didn't hang around and just went for it. Feet dry and boots back on, I headed to the summit and again the weather played a part. This time total cloud and for those who know the area, I couldn't even see Mellbreak from the summit. It was a bit bleak.
Hen Combe summit with no view, my 49th Wainwright. Time to head back but didn't fancy crossing the beck again so headed down towards Mosedale. I ended up losing the path but then noticed the bridge crossing the beck which was where I wanted to be so took an almost direct route down off the fell.
Bridge over Mosedale Beck with the solitary Holly Tree in the background. Time to head back to the tent and get my well deserved pint.
Looking down to Crammock water and Buttermere with its surrounding fells including Fleetwith Pike at the head of Buttermere.
So I ended up in The Bridge and enjoyed 2, I stress 2 pints, as on my way back to the tent, I tripped and fell onto some rocks. After a most uncomfortable and painful night, the following morning I decided to go to A&E, which was a £55 taxi journey, as I couldn't drive due to the pain. A broken rib was the outcome and no more fell walking for me. I was due to be there for 2 or 3 more days but there was no way I could walk up any fell. I couldn't even get back into my tent so ended up staying a night in the Bridge Hotel where the staff were absolutely amazing and looked after me. A disappointing end to my holiday but still had some fun and great walks. My 50th Wainwright will have to wait.
On the day I left I noticed a lorry clearing some tanks and thought it summed my holiday up but I will be back